Something of an update
Talked with Mike today about the future, and I spoke with Ross earlier in the week.
Looks like this will be the deal:
1) I'll delay my trip to the US about a week, which means I'll leave about September 15. I'll stay in the US for about 3 weeks. Given that time frame,I'll probably take about 4 days in Blowing Rock before heading to Baton Rouge.
2) I will continue to be a fellow, not an employee. My stiped will increase about $400 per month, which, combined with lower apartment rent, allows me to pay my car note (or save for a new one) and have a little more spending money.
3) I will probably take 3 hours a semester towards my phd. It may not be from Tulane, however; there's a chance I could transfer to the School of Public Health at the University of Washington. I'd say that's unlikely, however. The outcome of this point depends on what Tulane does. TASC will pay for it if I don't get a tuition waiver.
4) I'll be here for another year, and will have as a major responsibility setting up surveillance systems in different countries. Bangladesh is the first, and is what I'm working on now. I'll also try to get a few research papers published between now and then.
5) My general impression is that TASC really wants me here, but wants me cheap. So long as I can support my debt, eat well and have a few beers on the weekend, that's ok with me. However, I no longer think that working here as a salaried employee is in the cards. It may come to pass, but more likely I need to use this to gain a ton of experience and then, in a year, after I've completed my courseload (and hopefully my dissertation), leave here for some professional position - probably in the US. If Jah and I are still together then, I expect she'd come along.
I'm about as happy now as I've ever been. I love the work I do and enjoy the people with whom I work. The girlfriend thing is very good - I'll just leave it at that, for now. I'm healthy, not wealthy, but perhaps a bit wiser. If I just had X-box live and a way to watch Titans games then everything would be perfect. I do miss family and friends, though, which is why I say I'll probably come back to the US when I'm done with TASC.
Reporting from the everexpanding la la land,
Thupt!
posted by Llama @ 8/12/2005 04:12:00 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Wonderful to hear on all if it. Should we send a special pass to la la land for Jah? We want to make sure she can get in at all times to visit you there. Hopefully, Jah won't say the same thing as your employer - "I really want you here, llama, but I only want you here cheap."
In other news, I find it amusing that the time difference between Hawai'i and Thailand is like 18-20 hours, and yet I may be the only one who is often awake when you post. It is still Thursday night here. You are probably working in finishing up Friday there.
well, congratulations on the deal. I think you are getting incredible professional experience and you get to live in an exotic country that you love. Merely the beginning of a highly successful career, I would say.
And of course we are most happy about your 3 week trip home, and that you will probably be back in the US in a year. But plse explain more on pt #3- do you mean if TASC pays you will transfer to UW?
Well, on one of your days in BR plan to not sleep, because we definitely need to have an all night X-Box Live/Halo 2 frag fest celebration.
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